The overall objective is to promote and strengthen hybrid maize technology in the Asian region through germplasm exchange, dissemination of information, training and periodic meetings and workshops.
Objectives: i.) To strengthen the on-going research on taro in the Pacific and promote networking. ii.) Describe genetic diversity in taro ¿ an underutilized tuber crop and a staple food in the Pacific Island countries. iii.) Develop and adopt, complementary conservation techniques to conserve taro genetic
resources. iv.) Evaulate diversity to develop disease resistant high yielding varieties and promote
their utilization by farming communities.
Project Title: Organization and management of technological integration in agriculture
and agroindustry in the Southern Cone. This project aims to promote the technological integration as well as to strengthen the management
capacity of the innovate process in the Agri-food and Agroindustrial System (AAS) in the enlarged
MERCOSUR 2. In order to be able to comply with the proposal, the strengthening and assurance
of the re-engineering process of the Cooperative Program for Technological Development in
NACA started as a regional project of FAO/UNDP with the title, ¿Establishment of the Network of
Aquaculture Centres in Asia¿. It had 11 participating governments1. The project began field operations
in August 1980, went through three phases, and terminated in December 1989. It was transformed
into an autonomous regional organization owned and operated by its member governments on 12
January 1990 when five governments ratified the NACA Agreement. The Agreement was adopted at
The Small Ruminant Research Program (SRRP) of ¿Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique¿
of Morocco (INRA) was founded in 1992 and after two years of research programming, the
implemenrtation phase was launched. Its development was supported by (IBRD : financial loan) and
(gtz technical co-operation). Currently both assistance ceased. The objectives of the program were: 1.
Provide adapted technologies to 5 principal sheep production systems of Morocco; 2. Provide data to
Bambara groundnut can be considered to be under-utilized and neglected. The objectives
of the International Bambara Groundnut Network (BAMNET) are to increase the importance of
Bambara groundnut by improving its productivity, production, marketing and consumption.
Title : PROMUSA: A Global Programme for Musa Improvement
Pacific island nations do not always have the financial and human resources needed to develop
methods for mariculture and other forms of inshore fisheries management (Adams, 1998). The
ICLARM-ACIAR partnership was established to work with National Fisheries agencies, coastal
villagers and Australian Advanced Research Institutions (ARIs) to develop the required methods for
restocking, aquaculture and inshore fisheries management on behalf of the Pacific region (Lawrence,
1999).
Strengthening national and regional programmes to enhance sustainable development
through collaborative research on underutilized crops . The priority research areas include : a)
genetic studies and initial selection and breeding programme to supply planting materials b)
agronomic technology development leading to production guidelines c) post-harvest research to
improve handling, cooking and processing. This includes development of various cooking recipes
and d) promotion of production and utilisation of underutilized crops.
To strengthen the capabilities of member countries in research on and development of mandate
crops by promoting and co-ordinating networks, in order to benefit producing countries, farmers,
users, and consumers by contributing to increased coconut and oil palm production.
Specific objectives:
§ To identify and address researchable constraints and opportunities for the development of the
sustainable production of coconut and oil palm.
§ To help formulating research and development projects, to identify funding for their